The invention relates to a cutting tool for cutting openings for register vents in flooring or walls when installing a HAVC system and the like wherein the cutting tool automatically follows a track corresponding to the pattern for the vent opening.
In the installation of heating and air-conditioning systems (HAVC) numerous vent openings must be formed in floors, walls, or ceilings to connect the ductwork to the room. During new home construction, 20 or more vent openings may be needed, and other constructions require even more openings. Previously, the vent openings have been cut manually by using a power sabre saw or sawsall, and much physical labor is exerted on hands or knees. In order to cut the vent opening in the correct space in the floor, one must crawl under the house, locate a space for the vent opening between two floor joists, and drill a pilot hole in the floor while underneath the house to indicate the location. Using the pilot hole, a drawing of the vent opening is marked on the interior floor and the vent opening is manually cut out.
Prior attempts to provide tools and methods for cutting out vent openings for HAVC systems and the like using various floor guides have been made. For example U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,171 B2 discloses a template for cutting out vents of an HVAC system. U.S. Published Application no. 2002/0134213 discloses a cutter guide for guiding the movement of a cutting tool manually. These devices only disclose a guide with which a separate manual cutting tool is used. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,620,407 and 4,359,302 disclose guides for cutting patterns out of sheet rock and the like. Thus, it can be seen that a power cutting tool is needed in the HAVC industry for cutting vent openings automatically in prescribed pattern.